City Council — 2024-02-13

Short-Term Rental Ordinance Revision

• Staff proposed extending minimum rental stays to 90 days and increasing violation fines.
• Council discussed exemptions for tenants establishing domicile and private citizen enforcement suits.
• Members voted to introduce the ordinance with updated definitions for fractional ownership.
• Staff will return with enhanced enforcement tools and further definitions.

Salary Schedule Resolution

• The Council adopted a resolution to amend the salary schedule with new job classifications.
• The change promotes the Interim Deputy City Clerk to Chief Deputy City Clerk.
• The new salary schedule becomes effective in February 2024.

Meeting Summary: Ojai City Council

Public Comment & Meeting Disruption

• The meeting began with significant public comment regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Several speakers urged the Council to pass a ceasefire resolution and divest from entities connected to arms manufacturing, specifically mentioning General Dynamics and the Crown family owners of the Ojai Valley Inn. Speakers argued that the war impacts global liberation and local issues like housing and homelessness. Other speakers countered by citing Hamas's charter, disputing casualty numbers, and noting that the International Court did not issue a final ruling condemning Israel as genocide. During the session, the meeting was temporarily disrupted, requiring the room to be partially cleared before resuming.

Agenda Item 3: Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance Revision

• The primary business item was the first reading of a revision to Title 4, Chapter 24, aimed at strengthening the city's prohibition on short-term rentals.
• Staff Proposal: Recommendations included extending the minimum rental stay from one month to 90 days, increasing fines to a progressive scale ($1,500–$5,000+ per violation), and exploring regulations on "fractionalization" (splitting property ownership to bypass bans).
• Public Feedback: Most commenters strongly supported stricter bans, citing housing scarcity, increased rents, and the loss of community character. Some residents expressed concern that a 90-day minimum might negatively impact locals needing temporary housing.
• Council Discussion: Council members sought clarifications on exemptions for month-to-month tenancies created by operation of law and rentals where a renter establishes domicile. They also discussed enforcement mechanisms, including private citizen suits and the collection of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from violators.
• Decision: The Council voted 5-0 to introduce the ordinance. It includes the term "fractional" in relevant definitions and adds an exemption for rentals of at least one month where the renter establishes domicile. Staff is directed to return with enhanced enforcement tools and definitions for fractional ownership.

Agenda Item 4: Postponement

• Due to the late hour, Item 4 (General Plan work) was postponed to allow Item 5 to proceed.

Agenda Item 5: Salary Schedule Resolution

• Proposal: Adopting a resolution to amend the salary schedule, creating new classifications for Chief Deputy City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, and Records Technician. This effectively promotes the current Interim Deputy City Clerk (Weston Montgomery) to Chief Deputy City Clerk and creates flexibility for future staffing needs.
• Decision: The Council voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution, effective February 19, 2024. Council members congratulated Weston Montgomery on his promotion.

Council & Manager Reports

• Administrative Changes: Written public comment deadlines will move to 3:00 PM the day prior to meetings to allow better review by the Council. Special meetings will begin using Kent Hall as a venue.
• Traffic & Safety: Council members raised ongoing concerns regarding traffic safety, specifically regarding motorized bikes and speeding, suggesting a dedicated agenda item for these issues in the near future.
• Future Agenda Items: Topics proposed for future consideration include the Airport Traffic Plan (ATP), climate mitigation/decarbonization of city buildings, merit structure definitions in the housing code, and a joint committee with the School Board regarding workforce housing.

Adjournment

• The meeting concluded with the Mayor thanking staff and constituents before adjourning.